Biolistic transfection of plants by infectious cDNA clones of Plum pox virus

Plant biolistic transfection by two Plum pox virus (PPV) infectious cDNA clones (strains PPV-M and PPV-D) using the gene gun apparatus PDS 1000-He was optimized. Nicotiana benthamiana plants were germinated on Petri dishes with MS growth medium. At the age of four weeks the plants were subjected to biolistic transfection and three days later were transplanted into common soil substrate. The plant survival after transplantation was about 70 %, the transfection efficiency was over 80 % (compared to 6 – 10 % efficiency reached by mechanical plant inoculation). The plants showed typical PPV symptoms two weeks post transfection. The virus presence was confirmed by immunoblotting, RTPCR, as well as by successful transmission by sap to healthy plants. The co-transfection of N. benthamiana plants by PPV-M and PPV-D led to mixed infections with PPV-D strongly prevalent. We assumed the properties of cDNA constructs responsible for this behaviour.Keywords: gene gun, PPV strains, immunoblottin

Effect of quantum therapy on pork quality

In this study the impact of quantum therapy on meat quality of slaughtered pigs was investigated. For this purpose the pigs were treated with different doses of magnet-infrared-laser (MIL) radiation. Animals were divided into four groups according to radiation doses (4096, 512, and 64 Hz, and control without application), which were applied in the lumbar area of musculus longissimus dorsi (loin) at various time intervals prior to the slaughter (14 d, 24 h, and 1 h). Animals were slaughtered and the meat quality was evaluated by determining of pH value (1, 3, and 24 h post slaughter), drip loss, colour, and lactic acid and phosphoric acid amounts. MIL therapy can be used in various fields of veterinary medicine as are surgery and orthopaedics, internal medicine, dentistry, pulmonology, gastroenterology, gynaecology, urology, nephrology, and dermatology. The results achieved showed that MIL radiation used in a short period before slaughter (1 h) can cause a change in the meat quality, as reflected by the non-standard development of pH values, increases in drip loss, and changes of meat colour

Wine tasting: how much Is the contribution of the clfaction?

Neuromarketing predicts that multiple factors contribute to the choice of a product, among them, the perceived value, pleasantness, and emotion related to the use of it. In this framework, a particular field is constituted by luxury items, such as wine. Wine is particularly suitable to marketing effects, both extrinsic (label) and intrinsic features (volatile composition and color) lead to the constitution of the experienced value, and the analysis of the contribution of olfaction to the process of tasting is fundamental in order to study flavor perception. Scope of the present study was to investigate the reaction to the smell and the gustation of the wine, with and without the olfactory contribution, through an electroencephalographic index, assumed as an indicator of approach or withdrawal (AW) motivation, and an autonomic index (emotional index—EI), deriving from the matching of heart rate and galvanic skin response activity. Results of this pilot research showed a statistically significant increase of the EI values in correspondence with wine-smelling phase in comparison with the other two phases (p < 0.01) and a trend of major avoidance attitude in correspondence with wine tasting with the olfactory component in comparison with the other two conditions. This result could be explained by the lack of specific subjects’ expertise. Present data suggest a synergic action exerted by olfaction and gustation sensory modalities, where manipulation could be further studied so to investigate emotional and cognitive aspects of wine tasting experience